Chapter 45: Chapter 45

As expected, this was incredibly challenging to complete. The books seemed unaffected, as if their number hadn't diminished at all despite the hours we spent organizing them. At this point, I had to muster the courage to climb the ladder to arrange some books on the higher shelves.

"I'm afraid of slipping from this ladder," I admitted, managing to pick up three books. I didn't dare take too many since these books were heavy and thick.

"Oh God, protect me," I muttered to myself as I began ascending the first step of the ladder. Technically, the steps weren't very high, but once I stood at the top and looked down, I was certain I wouldn't be able to climb back up if I came down. So, I focused only on the shelf in front of me. On my first attempt, I managed to conquer my fear. I went back to the table, grabbed more books, and pushed the ladder towards the shelf again. Unintentionally, my hand got closer to Ramon, who was still sleeping.

I hoped he would just ignore me. Alright, after this, I'll ask Maudy to wrap it up for today. We can continue tomorrow, I thought. But just as I was finishing my train of thought, something unexpected happened. Maybe I had forgotten to lock the ladder's wheels. As I reached the second step of the ladder, it suddenly started moving forward on its own, likely due to my weight. I let out a scream, fearing I was about to fall and hurt my back.

But a few seconds later, I didn't feel any pain from hitting the hard floor. Slowly, I opened my eyes and heard Maudy's shouts. My gaze met a pair of bright green eyes staring at me with a cold expression. I was taken aback, and Maudy, who had pulled me up, was equally surprised. Ramon immediately lowered me from his lap.

"Are you okay? What were you doing? Did you forget to lock the ladder's wheels?" Maudy asked, to which I nodded. I then looked at Ramon's direction as he left the library. I watched his back as he walked away.

"Thank goodness Ramon caught you. Otherwise, I'd be in trouble, having to explain to your family. Oh no, I haven't even finished dealing with this issue, and I don't want to add more problems," Maudy said, examining my body to make sure I wasn't hurt.

"I'm fine, Maudy. So, it's probably best if we call it a day. We can continue tomorrow, right?" I suggested, making Maudy nod in agreement. She seemed a bit shaken by my near fall from the ladder. I glanced at the chair Ramon had been sitting in earlier. He must have been quite far away when I climbed the ladder, yet he managed to catch me so quickly. It reminded me of Gray, who would sometimes appear out of nowhere. Could he also not be human, I wondered, shaking my head to dismiss the thought.

I looked back at Maudy. Did she know all the secrets of the world? I wanted to ask, but I refrained. I was sure Maudy would find me weird if I did.

"Are you getting picked up?" Maudy suddenly asked, making me remember that I had forgotten to check my phone.

"There's probably a bunch of calls from Rex by now," I said while checking my phone. Indeed, there were messages from Rex, saying he couldn't pick me up. Instead, he allowed me to take public transportation. It was a relief that he wouldn't be annoyed since I had made him wait. Then there were messages from Gray, asking how I was, and those had been sent hours ago.

"It seems I'll have to take public transportation," I replied, responding to their messages.

"I'll drive you home. I happen to have my car," Maudy said, causing me to smile and agree. It would save me some money on transportation. However, when we reached the parking lot and Maudy was about to get into her car, I spotted a familiar figure in the distance. He was under a tree and seemed to have been waiting for me. I stopped Maudy and held her hand.

"Maudy, I think I can go home on my own. I mean, my cousin is picking me up, so you can go ahead," I said, making Maudy look around.

"School is pretty empty now. Do you want me to accompany you?" Maudy asked, to which I shook my head.

"No need. I can wait for him. He'll be here shortly," I replied, and Maudy nodded.

"Alright then, thank you for your help today. And I might ask for your help again tomorrow," Maudy said before getting into her car and driving away. After that, I approached Gray, who had been waiting for me.

"I just replied to your message. Have you been waiting here for long?" I asked. Instead of an answer, Gray stared at me with a tightened jaw. Did I do something wrong? Maybe he was annoyed that I replied late to his message. But before I could ask, Gray suddenly pulled me back by the shoulder and buried his face into the crook of my neck.

He seemed to be sniffing me. Oh no, I had been sweating quite a bit from organizing the books in the library. I instinctively pushed Gray away.

"What are you doing with Maudy?" Gray asked. I could tell he was somewhat annoyed or even angry.

"I was helping Maudy organize books in the library. Why? Is something wrong?" I asked in return.

"It's not about Maudy. I mean, did you meet someone else there?" Gray's question caught me off guard, and I hesitated before nodding.

"I almost fell when I was trying to organize books on the highest shelf. I was sure I'd hit the floor hard, but someone caught me," I explained. Gray looked at me with a questioning expression.

"Someone? Who?" he asked.

"I don't know him, but Maudy said his name is Ramon," I replied. Then, to my surprise, Gray grabbed my hand and led me towards a parked car not far from the lot. He seemed agitated, pushing me quite forcefully into the car before getting in himself.

He gripped the steering wheel tightly as he started the car, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere between us.

"Gray, did I do something wrong? You're driving so fast," I said, feeling uneasy in his presence. He suddenly slammed on the brakes, pulling over to the side of the road.

"I can't stand the smell around you. It's repulsive," I blurted out, and Gray immediately unfastened my seatbelt, pulling me towards him without hesitation. I was slightly startled, and he effortlessly moved me to sit on his lap, disregarding the limited space around us.

"Gray, this is uncomfortable," I protested, but he ignored my comment. He swiftly removed my jacket and tossed it onto the back seat. He also took off my bag, which was hanging on my back. Not stopping there, he undid the hair tie that had been holding my hair.

I didn't even have a chance to ask what was wrong with him. "I can't stand the smell," Gray said before bringing his face close to the crook of my neck. I didn't know what Gray was planning to do, but all I could do was grip his shoulders as he sniffed my neck quite strongly.

Not only that, he removed the bandage that I had put on earlier to cover up the red mark that was still visibly there. Gray proceeded to kiss the area around my neck while his arms held me tightly.

" I need to get rid of it quickly; I really can't stand it," Gray said again, leaving me completely puzzled about what was wrong with him.

"Gray," I murmured as he started to slide his hand under my clothes and continued to kiss around my neck, causing my whole body to react to his touch. Eventually, I pushed him away slightly.

"What's really going on? You should at least explain it to me instead of leaving me confused like this," I questioned, prompting Gray to remain silent while staring into my eyes. He then extended his hand, his fingers slipping into the crook of my neck and then moving up to gently stroke my scalp. He lifted my long hair and again took in my scent through the crook of my neck.

"The smell is gradually fading. I'll tell you once I've completely eliminated the repugnant stench from that bastard," Gray said, causing me to reluctantly allow him to do whatever he wanted. I wasn't sure what smell he was referring to, especially since I was feeling quite overheated and sweaty at the moment.

I knew this must have been uncomfortable, but he persisted, and all I could do was grip his shoulders tightly. I didn't want to get overly aggressive again and embarrass myself like I did last night.

After a few minutes, Gray finally hugged me, signaling that he was done with whatever he was trying to do. He gently stroked my back, and I leaned against his shoulder.

"Gray, can you let me sit back in my seat?" I asked, feeling uncomfortable in the cramped space around us.

"I feel comfortable like this, so you don't need to worry. Just stay on my lap," Gray replied.

"But I'm heavy," I retorted, making Gray give me a playful look.

"You don't even feel like you're sitting on my lap, you're so light," Gray said, clearly lying to comfort me.

.